The week of April 17-25 is National Park Week here in the USA, and if you need any more incentive to experience what Ken Burns celebrated in “America’s Best Idea”, admission will be free to all National Parks that week.
Many of the 392 parks, monuments and historical sites will be holding special events during National Park Week, including activities for kids at Junior Ranger Day programs on Saturday, April 24. In addition, some parks will have special events and volunteer projects on Earth Day, April 22. A nationwide list of events is available on the National Park Service website.
The photo above was taken during a visit to Glacier National Park in Montana. It was one of those photo days when you get up at Odark:30 and hit the road in order to be on location before sunrise. I was hoping for a glorious dawn with the first rays of the sun lighting up the mountain peaks, but I arrived at the lake to find a solid heavy overcast and wind-chop on the water. I was tempted to leave, and several other photographers came and went, but even with gray skies this is an awesome place to just be and appreciate nature’s grandeur. So I was still there, camera still on tripod, when the sun briefly broke through the clouds and the wind momentarily died. Certainly made my day.
May 11 marks the 100th anniversary of Glacier becoming our 10th National Park. Information about commemorative events is available at www.glaciercentennial.org. Click on this link if you’d like to see more of my photos of Glacier National Park.
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that is a truly stunning shot